Wrapping machine



Aug. 9, 1932. R. H. OAKES ET AL WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l I N V EN TOR. Foamr flh/mr 01mm I BY M0 fi/m/ 1?. 51/041 A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 9, 1932. R. H. OAKES ET AL WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT HARRY OAKES, 0F SPRINGFIELD, AND JOHN B. TINDAL, OI WET SPRING- FIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOBS TO PACKAGE MACHINERY COMPANY, 01' SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OI EASSACHUSETTS WRAPPING CHINE Application filed July 8, 1931. Serial No. 549,416.

The present invention relates to the wrapping and sealing of articles, and particularly to the wrapping of articles in a material carrying a. soluble coating. One example of such a material is the commercial product known as moisture-proof cellophane, which in one commercial form comprises a cellulose base and a coating having among its ingredients a nitrocellulose and a wax. This coating is soluble in organic solvents such as acetone or ethylene glycol monomethyl ether. One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will produce what is known as a single point fold with. the material thoroughly secured together by its solvent softened surface coating. A further object is to provide an apparatus which will apply the solvent evenly and thoroughly to the folds as they are being formed. Additional objects will appear from the following description and claims. 7

The preferred embodiment .of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a wrapping machine to which the invention has been applied;

Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive are details illustrating successive stages in the formation of the folds in one of the end extensions of the wraper' p Fig; 9 is a top plan View of one of the first end folders;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 11 is a section on line 1111 of Fig. 9.

The invention has been illustrated as applied to a machine of the general type shown in the Fischer Patent No. 1,196,094, and the general environment and mechanical operat ing parts are not described in detail herein for that reason. In the Fischer machine an article a is received upon an elevator 15 and is raised between side guides 16 to a position between grippers 17 and 18. During this motion the article picks up a horizontally disposed wrapper sheet 6, which is draped into inverted U-form as the article passes between the grippers. The rear depending flap of the wrapper is folded under by the reciprocating rear folder 19, and the corresponding front flap is folded by the passage of the article over the bottom plate 20 of the folding chute as the grippers are moved forwardly. During the advance of the grippers the forward member 18 is elevated so that it may clear the package on its rearward stroke, as fully set out in the Fischer patent referred to. The partially wrapped article is fed further along the wrapping channel by a pair of pushers 21 and 22 reciprocated simultaneously with the grippers 17, 18, and rocked upon their return stroke to clear the packages to the rear of them.

The partially wrapped article is deposited by the pusher 21 at a. station a with the wrapper extending in tubular form at each of its ends. The lower end fold a is made first, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. For this purpose a mechanism is preferably provided suitable cam mechanism or linkage through, a pair of rods 24 (one only being 'shown,as'

Fig. 10 is broken off at the center line of the machine). A bracket 25 is mounted at each end of the cross bar, and has a depending portion 26 to which a slotted plate 27 is slidably secured by screws 28. The top of the plate 27 is shaped to form an end folder for folding upwardly the bottom part of the end extension of the wrapper, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The plate also carries a horizontally extending member 29 which serves to maintain the upper part of the wrapper and extension in position during the creasing of the side flaps, as will be explained below.

The connection betweenthe plate 27 and the reciprocating bracket 25, 26 is such that lost motionis provided. Normally the plate is held extended to its upper limit of motion by a spring 30 strained between the bottom end of the plate and a pin 31 on the bracket. As the bracket rises the plate travels ahead of it, folding the lower fold 0, until the member 29 presses the upper part of the extension against a horizontal rail 32 (Figs. 3 and 10) The plate being thus stopped, further upward movement of the bracket is permitted beveled portions. A

by a stretching of the spring 30. Descent of the parts occurs in the reverse order, the

bracket descending until the lost motion has been taken up, whereupon the plate will travel with it. The upper portion of the travel of the bracket, after the bottom end fold has been made, is utilized in creasing the side end folds and in applying a solvent to their inner surfaces. The mechanism for doing this will'now be described.

The n standing sides 33 of the bracket are beve ed inwardly as at 34 (Fig. 9) and serve as abutments against which the side folds are pressed. Between these sides 33 is located a receptacle 35 (Fig. 11) having a cover 36 and perforated ends through which pass a plurality of wicks 37 also pasing through holes inthe sides 33 adjacent their pipe 38 is connected by a flexible tube 39 with a source of supply for the solvent, such a one, for example, as is described in the Lan hammer application Serial No. 507,923, led J an. 10. 1931. The

ipe is also furnished with a connection 40 by which the solvent may be transmitted to the similar unit on the other side of the machine. The wicks 37 terminate just outside the side walls 33, their ends being flared both to secure them in place and to dlstribute the solvent evenly over a large surface. As best seen in Fig. 10 the wicks preferably extend in a straight line extending diagonally across the trian lar tuck formed in the side portions of t e end extension by the folding up of the bottom flap.

Secured to the side walls 33 by screws 41 are spring plates 42 having a normal position against the side walls. A rod 43 extends vertically through the bracket 25 and carries a block 44 having flat sides and a tapered top, and adapted to pass between two pins 45. These pins slide in bearings on the sides 33 and are adapted to bear against the inner surfaces of the plates 42 whenever the rod 43 is forced upwardly relative to the bracket. For this purpose the rod carries two adjustable collars 46 adapted to strike on the upper and lower surface of a lug 47 projecting from the machine frame. When the bracket descends, the upper collar 46 will strike against the lug 47, moving the rod 43 upwardly and forcing the block 44 between the pins 45. This causes the plates 42 to be moved a art (Fig. 2 and the dotted line po sition of Fi 9). As the bracket again ascends the p ates will be held in their outwardly extended position by the flat sides of the block 44. When the bracket reaches its upper limit of motion the lowercollar 46 strikes the lug 47 and lowers the block 44 from between the pins, permitting the plates to close under their own spring tension.

The operation of this much of the mechanism will now be considered. As the article is placed in position a the ends of the wrapper extend beyond the ends of the article in rectangular tubular form. The cross bar 23 is now caused to ascend. The plate 27 at each end of the package is thus brought against the lower side of the tubular wrapper extension, forming the bottom fold a and turning up two triangular side tucks d. During this folding operation the plates 42 are held spaced from the side walls 33 of the bracket 25, so that the triangular side tucks d will be received freely in this space. As the cross bar 23 reaches its upper limit of motion, however, the spring plates 42 are released, causing the side tucks d to be clamped against the walls 33 and consequently against the ends of the wicks 37. During the descent of the cross head the spring plates remain in creasing the fold-over edges of the side tucks and holding them against the wicks as the latter travel downward. An even smear of solvent is thus applied at the same time that the folds are creased.

As the transport member 22 swings down prior to advancing the partially wrapped article away from the position a, a folder 48 folds over the entire side flap e, meanwhile. starting the formation of the upper flap by its coaction with the to plate 32. Further forward movement of t e pusher 22 carries the article past a stationary folder 49 which turns over the front side flap f, as shown in Fig. 5. The pusher leaves the article in a position a in which an oscillating dauber 50 swings from an immersed position in a tank 51 containing solvent to the position shown in Fig. 6 in which" it contacts with the under side of the upper flap g. The top plate 32 and the dauber are provided with interfitting grooves and rid es so that there will be no danger of the auber applying solvent to the plate if a package is absent. From this point the packages are moved ahead by contact one with another until they are received by an oscillating carrier 52 and swung by it through ninety degrees in line with a pusher 53 and a chute 54. This chute has a preliminary heated section 55 in which the solvent is assisted in its penetration of the coating and is then evaporated, and a portion 56 lined withbristles which hold the superposed flaps in contact until they have adhered firmly together.

We claim:

1. A wrapping machine comprising a fold er adapted to engage one side of a tubular extension of a wrapper and form a fold therein, a device for creasing an adjacent flap against the side of the folder, and means in the folder for applying a sealing liquid to the inner surface of said adjacent flap.

2. A wrap ing machine comprising a folder adapted to engage one side of a tubular extension of a wrapper and form a fold therein, a device for creasing an adjacent III flap against the side of the folder, a reservoir within the folder, and wicks extending from the reservoir through the side wall of the folder to apply a sealing liquid to the inner surface of said adjacent flap as it is being creased.

3. A wrapping machine comprising a folder adapted to engage one side of a tubular extension of a wrapper and form a fold therein, means for reciprocating the folder into and out of folding position, a plate movable towards the side of the folder to press an adjacent flap against it and to crease and iron said adjacent flap as the folder is being withdrawn from folding position, a reservoir within the folder, and wicks extending from the reservoir through the side wall of the folder to wipe a sealing liquid across the inner surface of said adjacent flap as the folder is being withdrawn.

4. A wrapping machine comprising a. folder adapted to engage 'a tubular extension of a wrapper to form a fold therein, and means operable at the same operation to apply a sealing liquid to the inner surface of anadjacent fold of the same package.

5. A wrapping machine comprising a folder adapted to engage one side of a tubular extension of a wrapper to form a fold therein and to form simultaneously a pair of adjacent side flaps, and means operable at the same operation to apply a sealing liquid to the inner surface of both adjacent side flaps of the same package.

6. A wrapping machine comprising instrumentalities for wrapping around an article a sheet of material having a soluble coating thereon, folders movable to engage one side of each of the tubular end extensions of the wrapper to form a fold therein and to form simultaneously therewith a pair of adjacent side flaps, wicks leading through the side walls of the folders into position to en age I and transfer a solvent to the inner sur aces of said-side flaps, means for turning the side flaps against the end of the package, a solvent carrier adapted to apply solvent to the inner surface of the fourth flap at each end of the article, means for folding down the fourth flaps, and a discharge chute including a heater engageable with the folded flaps for vaporizing the solvent, said chute holding the flaps until the adhere together,

In testimony w ereof we have aflixed our signatures.

ROBERT HARRY CAKES. JOHN R. TINDAL 

